


ghoul

by Precipice



Series: i will gaze into the darkness just to see you [3]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Gen, ashgate 2k16? more like poetic cinema, encore i say!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2019-06-17
Packaged: 2020-05-13 08:59:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19247989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Precipice/pseuds/Precipice
Summary: “Ben, I’m sorry.”“I know... I’m sorry too.”[ a vignette ]





	ghoul

Even if someone should take everything away from you

(your love)

(your light)

(your life)

they will not take this.

This choice.

You can either let them have it all

(“I've given everything I have to you… to the dark side.”)

or you can take it all back

(“The Supreme Leader… is dead.”)

with interest.

***

Ben Solo is not afraid of the dark.

(That being said, he does not mind his uncle’s luminous shadow.)

Ben Solo is not afraid to sleep alone.

(That being said, he does not mind his uncle’s quiet company.)

***

They know, of course. Nobody can be that stupid.

Not with him haunting their ships and stations for so long, leaving ashy fingerprints and bloody footmarks wherever he went.

They know why he held onto Snoke.

They know a trophy when they see it.

***

He usually makes his way to the padded room whenever he finds himself uncertain - of his fate, of his faith, of his façade.

(Oh, he knows what they all call it, when they think he can’t hear them.)

Nowadays, he still finds himself uncertain, but for very different reasons.

(He thinks they aren’t wrong, not exactly.)

***

They stand before the glass, a man and his ghost.

They stand side by side as they gaze upon their true enemy, his remains floating in the preserving fluid.

The mouth gapes open, its lying tongue poking out through the rows of rotten teeth, but the eyes are closed. The chemicals have already leeched what little color there was to the wretched flesh. Only the robe glitters dully beneath the artificial light.

It is Luke who speaks first:

“What if he moves?”

Ben does not laugh – neither of them has earned that.

Not yet.

“There’s an incinerator nearby.”

Luke grimaces, as if saying ‘but of course’.

They spend the rest of the night in silence.

***

They stand before the glass, a victim and his killer.

They stand side by side was they gaze upon the ruined body of the one who almost ruined them.

It is Ben who speaks first:

“I’ll get rid of him. Not tonight, but soon.”

Luke does not judge – both of them are quite beyond it.

And yet.

“Why even keep him in the first place?”

Ben frowns, as if saying ‘might as well tell you’.

They spend the rest of the night in conversation.

***

“I need to be sure. I need proof.”

“Proof of what, exactly?”

“That he's really dead. That the voice I keep hearing is nothing but his dying echo.”

***

“Ben, why didn’t you tell us?"

("... that he was inside you?")

“I didn’t know - not until it was too late.”

("... that he wasn't supposed to be there.")

***

“Ben, I’m sorry.”

“I know... I’m sorry too.”

**Author's Note:**

> ∠( ᐛ 」∠)＿
> 
> come talk 2 me about ur tros expectations for luke & ben


End file.
